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Topic: Canon Announces the Development of New High Sensitivity Sensor (Read 24339 times)

Press Release
TOKYO, March 4, 2013—Canon Inc. announced today that the company has successfully developed a high-sensitivity 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor exclusively for video recording. Delivering high-sensitivity, low-noise imaging performance, the new Canon 35 mm CMOS sensor*1 enables the capture of Full HD video even in exceptionally low-light environments.

The newly developed CMOS sensor features pixels measuring 19 microns square in size, which is more than 7.5-times the surface area of the pixels on the CMOS sensor incorporated in Canon’s top-of-the-line EOS-1D X and other digital SLR cameras. In addition, the sensor’s pixels and readout circuitry employ new technologies that reduce noise, which tends to increase as pixel size increases. Thanks to these technologies, the sensor facilitates the shooting of clearly visible video images even in dimly lit environments with as little as 0.03 lux of illumination, or approximately the brightness of a crescent moon—a level of brightness in which it is difficult for the naked eye to perceive objects. When recording video of astral bodies, while an electron-multiplying CCD,*2 which realizes approximately the same level of perception as the naked eye, can capture magnitude-6 stars, Canon’s newly developed CMOS sensor is capable of recording faint stars with a magnitude of 8.5 and above.*3

Using a prototype camera employing the newly developed sensor, Canon successfully captured a wide range of test video,*4 such as footage recorded in a room illuminated only by the light from burning incense sticks (approximately 0.05–0.01 lux) and video of the Geminid meteor shower. The company is looking to such future applications for the new sensor as astronomical and natural observation, support for medical research, and use in surveillance and security equipment. Through the further development of innovative CMOS sensors, Canon aims to expand the world of new imaging expression.

Canon Marketing Japan Inc. will be exhibiting a prototype camera that incorporates the newly developed 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor and sample footage captured with the camera at SECURITY SHOW 2013, which will be held from Tuesday, March 5, to Friday, March 8, at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center in Tokyo, Japan.

An imaging element (aspect ratio: 16:9) that supports the largest image circle size possible when shooting with a Canon EF lens.

A CCD sensor with a readout mechanism that multiplies electrons after being converted from light. Applications include nighttime surveillance and the capture of astral bodies and nighttime nature scenes.

The brightness of a star decreases 2.5-times with each 1 magnitude increase.

Recording of test video footage was made possible through cooperation from ZERO Corporation.

So if I get this right, Canon is taking a full frame sensor, and ENLARGING the pixels on it 7.5 times, and then market it as the best ISO performer on the market? DUH!

Large pixels generally have high read-noise which means they tend to have a tough time in such environments. Read the text. They claim to have developed technologies that counteract that affect (that read noise increases with pixel size).

Large pixels generally have high read-noise which means they tend to have a tough time in such environments. Read the text. They claim to have developed technologies that counteract that affect (that read noise increases with pixel size).

Hmm, ok. But in the general discussion, noise increases when pixels get smaller (at Hi-ISO). It would be kind of obvious to think that noise decreases when pixels get larger (at Hi-ISO).

(maybe those are two different sources of noise I am talking about?)

Quote

7.5, not 7.2^2.

Yeah, my bad. But I think the principle is the same...2.4MP on FF would have lower HI-ISO noise than 18MP...I guess...

So, this and the thing about the guy using video to capture stills.... Canon, don't forget photographers. Also, don't forget that photography is not videography. Crank out somrthing to tickle the video industry, then get back to stills...

So, this and the thing about the guy using video to capture stills.... Canon, don't forget photographers. Also, don't forget that photography is not videography. Crank out somrthing to tickle the video industry, then get back to stills...

Lol you never fail to complain when something you're not interested in shows up on here. Can't you just ignore it and be happy for the people that shoot video? And yes there were 2 articles about video, but what about the 10 photo related posts in a row before that? Oh right, you're not interested in it so therefore Canon has forgotten about photographers. You're assuming that one takes away from the other, when in reality they are separate divisions. The Motion Picture industry is just as big or bigger than photography, just because you aren't a part of it doesn't mean they don't deserve any new gear.

I'm curious as to what piece of gear you are looking for that you feel is holding you back so much, because clearly you are looking for something specific and not seeing it. So what is it?

If the image circle is circular, then a 16:9 sensor could be slightly wider than a 3:2 sensor. But a 1:1 sensor could have a lot more area than either.

That's just it, though. Many EF lenses don't project a circular image. Not only do a number have baffles that mask off anything coming from outside the 24mm x 36mm imaging area, some lenses -- such as the 50mm f/1.0 -- don't even have fully circular elements. On the 50mm f/1.0, the tops and bottoms of at least some of the elements have been truncated.

the sensor’s pixels and readout circuitry employ new technologies that reduce noise, which tends to increase as pixel size increases.

im not nativ english speaking but. that sounds wrong.. not?

more noise with larger photosites?

I believe the point they're making is that, though the noise per pixel generally goes down with larger sensors, the noise per unit of area generally goes up.

So, with your low megapickle large area per pixel sensor, at 100% resolution (pixel peeping) things will look cleaner, but there'll be more total noise in the image as a whole than with a high megapickle small area per pixel sensor.

This would, as usual assume the same level of quality control, similar technologies, and the rest.

For those of us who do astrophotography, video has for some time been the preferred method for imaging the moon and planets. The best frames from a video stream are extracted, stacked and processed. A high resolution imager that can get to magnitude 8.5 would be a welcome addition, bringing a large number of interesting deep sky objects within reach of this technique. Not too many years ago I was freezing my a$$ off taking 20+ minute film exposures through a scope and happy to get 2 or 3 good frames out of a roll of film.....and the quality sucked compared to what is attainable in 30 seconds with a Rebel series camera. Although I can understand how underwhelmed many photographers might be, I hope this new Canon sensor is the beginning of deep sky videography.